LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- John Travolta , still in mourning over the death of his teenage son earlier this year , issued a rare public statement urging fans to see his latest movie , `` The Taking of Pelham 123 , '' which he filmed last year .

John Travolta stars as a villainous ex-inmate in `` The Taking of Pelham 123 , '' which opens in theaters Friday .

`` I promise , you wo n't be disappointed , '' said Travolta , who plays a deranged ex-inmate who takes hostages on a New York subway .

Travolta did not join co-star Denzel Washington in the promotional tour for the movie -- which hits theaters Friday -- because he said his family needed `` additional time to reconcile our loss . ''

His son Jett , 16 , was found unconscious on January 2 while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas . The teen was taken to a hospital , where he was pronounced dead on arrival , local police said .

Washington , who plays a subway train dispatcher forced to face down Travolta 's character , said he talked to the actor about three weeks ago .

`` Needless to say , he 's struggling , '' Washington said in an interview last week .

Travolta 's statement , which can be read on his official Web site , said Washington , director Tony Scott and the producers `` stepped up without hesitation to help promote this wonderful film , and their unselfish efforts have allowed my family the additional time to reconcile our loss . ''

Making the movie was `` a labor of love , '' Travolta said .

`` Tony gave me the freedom to define , and then to become , the ultimate evil mastermind , '' he said . `` This role as an actor gave me the chance to dispense with all moral and ethical limitations , and explore just how bad this character could really be . I believe you will like the result . ''

Much of the movie is a dialogue between Washington and Travolta 's character over a two-way radio .

Many of the action shots were filmed in New York subway tunnels .

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John Travolta releases statement on his Web site about `` The Taking of Pelham 123 ''

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Travolta , still mourning son 's death , praised colleagues for `` unselfish efforts ''

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Travolta 's son Jett died in January during family vacation